叹 (tàn) — (bound form) to sigh; (bound form) to exclaim (with admiration or emotion); (bound form) to chant; to intone
Definition
叹 is a bound form (must attach to another character) meaning 'to sigh' or 'to exclaim.' In 叹息 it means sigh; in 感叹 it means exclaim with emotion; in 咏叹 it means to chant or intone.
bound form
to sighto exclaim (with admiration or emotion)to chantto intone
Examples
- ，。Tā tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi hòu, shēn shēn de tàn xī le yī shēng.After hearing the news, he let out a deep sigh.
- ，！Tā gǎn tàn dào, zhè lǐ zhēn měi a!He exclaimed, 'This place is really beautiful!'
- 。Tā chàng de zhè shǒu yǒng tàn diào fēi cháng dòng rén.The aria she sang was very moving.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 嘆; 叹 is its simplified writing.
The simplified 叹 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 嘆; in others it is 歎.
Sound part声符shēngfú
歎
歎tàn嘆tàn
Same sound today
The traditional form 嘆 pairs 口 (mouth) with 歎 as the sound part; it shows a mouth letting out a sigh.
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